Native Diver

C R K Stable's Skinner (Curlin), second as the favorite as a 3-year-old in last year's GIII Native Diver Stakes, went one better in Saturday's renewal in a breakthrough performance. The $40,000 Keeneland September yearling turned $510,000 OBS April breezer (:10 1/5) had made only one start since, finishing a very useful second sprinting in an optional claimer on the Breeders' Cup Friday undercard. Last of six beneath Hector Berrios through an opening quarter in :23.15 here, the 7-2 chance was up a spot in a well-placed fifth through a...

Sophomore turfers will enjoy the spotlight in the GIII Commonwealth Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs, one of three graded stakes races on tap Saturday. Frankly Speaking homebred Dashman (Oscar Performance) won two straight in Kentucky this summer, then was a solid fourth with trouble behind MGISW Carson's Run (Cupid) and next-out GIII Hill Prince Stakes winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Deterministic (Liams' Map) in the GIII Jockey Club Derby Invitational going 1 3/8 miles at Aqueduct Oct. 5. The 5-2 morning-line favorite turns back to 1 1/16 miles here. "He...